Chisago County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Chisago County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Chisago County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, hail, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 32 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (4th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Chisago County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (5), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2001 | Fire | Mn - Carlos Edge Fire Complex - 10/19/2000 |
| 1996 | Flood | Flooding And Severe Storms |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
| 1975 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1972 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 65.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 55.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 4.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 39.1 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 64.2 | 4 | 0 | $500K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 76.3 | 24 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 76.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 42.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 38.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 54.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Chisago County ranks in the 4th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 4th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 3rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 23rd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 31st | Low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 38th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 40th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 32 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 9 in 2016–20 vs 23 in 2021–25 .
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Chisago County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Chisago County, Minnesota are strong wind, hail, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Chisago County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Chisago County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Chisago County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Chisago County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Chisago County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Ramsey County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Isanti County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Chisago County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Chisago County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Chisago County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Chisago County's composite score of 45 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 45% of US counties.